Weave
by Howlitzer
Summary: What comes together might take a few things apart, in a way.
1. Much Ado

a/n: Don't say it. Don't. I know.

I hope you enjoy what I've got cooked up this time.

* * *

 **Weave**

1\. Much Ado

* * *

The time had changed. In this future, the campaigns against Eggman were protracted, fiercer, and fewer in number than ever. It was an era where, if only for a moment in this history of their conflict, the heroes took the work that they had accepted as seriously as possible.

Their evolution made the Doctor more and more cautious, and as a result his attempts on world domination started to dwindle.

Today was early in winter, where Christmas and New Year's had already passed through the collective consciousness. Eggman's fights with Sonic and the heroes of Earth were out of sight in these recent years, and therefore mostly out of mind. In a relative sense, it was an age of peace for those denizens of Station Square and the surrounding area. Snow was thick on the ground and plentiful. The wind whipped through snowdrifts and howled around tall buildings.

A transit terminal, its top covered by layers of white, served as the stop for the nearby express bus. A certain occupant stopped near the front and gave her warmest thanks to the driver before stepping off. Bundled in a warm white winter jacket with a fluffy hat and scarf - all made lovingly by her mother - she walked through the terminal and its linoleum flooring to the street. She ascertained where north was, long ears kept warm, and started her stroll up the road to her destination. The snow crunched beneath her boots; it was getting a bit colder.

She stopped in front of the apartment building and expected there to be a doorman of some kind, but there wasn't one to be found. It was of a lower scale than she expected, but she then remembered that he hadn't ever cared for things like this. It was a dramatic adjustment on his end living here in the first place, to be sure.

The lobby was neat and clear, and four elevators were immediately available, two on each side. She took the nearest one on her left and pressed 4. It was a short wait before the doors opened again, and she walked to her left, to the first door she saw. One, two, three polite yet firm knocks. The door opened.

"Ya made it! Glad to see you, Cream."

"Likewise," she replied with a smile.

Sonic smiled back and welcomed her in, a red scarf wrapped around his neck. Cream thought it made him look more heroic, somehow. She politely removed her gloves, then her hat and scarf. Sonic quietly took everything from her and put them on the hooks near the door, then took her jacket.

"I can handle the boots, it's fine."

"Yes'm. Gotcha."

Cream nodded her thanks and slipped her winter boots off before walking into the rest of the apartment. There wasn't any lack of space as she exited the short corridor and saw the living area. The kitchen was nearby, and Sonic waved her to the square table where hot tea was already waiting.

"I got those kinda fancy round bags from the market. Orange...pekoe? Is that right? I know it ain't that high class and all..."

"It's nothing to worry about. Mama and I have that sort all the time. It's good with breakfast."

"Yeah, ain't it? Amy's been on my butt to learn how to cook and make stuff lately, and I figured I'd oblige her. I mean, if only to shut her up for a second." Sonic poured into two mugs and slid one to Cream. He made sure she had the sugar and milk within reach.

"Has she been around much lately?" Cream asked.

"A little bit. Still blows up at me though."

"You did say something mean to her."

Sonic shrugged and sat down. He poured a bit of milk into his tea. "I told her she had a fat butt after she cleaned me out of four hundred bones for dinner. One of those high class joints, too. She ate like it was her last meal. And she has been getting a bit thick lately."

"Mister Sonic. That's a bit much."

"Sorry, but I gotta say it. And besides, I'm an old man now, I'm allowed to have a few more unfiltered opinions these days without anyone getting mad."

"You've hardly aged a day."

He grinned and cupped his chin. "You know just how to butter me up. I'd say the same to you but you're a growin' young lady, and that's nothing but a good thing."

"Thank you."

It had been long enough; Cream was indeed growing by the day. Her teenage years were upon her. Although timidly at first, she had expressed her feelings to Tails some time ago, and the two periodically went out together when he wasn't trying to get ahead of Eggman on some new weapon or device. Out of everyone, he had taken the last few years the most seriously, and had himself holed up for days and weeks at a time.

"Seen the man friend lately?" he asked casually.

"It's been a few days. He's not one to answer calls, as I'm sure you know."

"Yeah. Next level nerd stuff. S'why I decided to hole up here for the winter. He didn't want me to, but I don't wanna throw him off his game. He'll change the world once we take it to Eggman one last time...too much talent not to. Proud of him."

"He really is amazing in that way," Cream said as she sipped her tea.

"Biscuits?"

"No thank you. The tea will be enough."

"How is it?"

"Wonderful. I know there's not much work involved, but you did get it to a nice flavour."

"Ha, great! Seal of approval from Cream herself!"

She giggled a bit before taking another sip.

"So," Sonic started as he leaned back in his chair, "you usually wouldn't catch me in another part of the year, and Amy did relay the message so I stuck around. Said you really wanted to talk. Anything about? Problems?"

"I did want to talk. I..."

"Nothing to rush, yeah? And scout's honour, I won't blab about it to anyone else. Not even Amy there, though I think she knew as much since she hasn't busted in here already."

Cream set her cup down, tracing a finger along the edge of the plate it was sitting on. Small lines of steam wafted up from the tea inside, and her chocolate brown eyes moved to focus on her companion. He raised a brow in response, immediately noting the intensity, subtle as it was. There was a shine to those eyes of hers now.

Like she was searching for something.

"He can't know. Tails...really cannot know."

Sonic leaned forward, his arms on the table. He moved the plate with its cup aside and tried to discern the true nature of that look in her eyes. It was a startlingly clear reminder that she wasn't six any longer. It wasn't an angry look. It wasn't something of distress. He couldn't really figure it out and it...bothered him on a level he didn't know was possible.

"Gettin' serious," he said simply.

"It is, in a way."

It was a more measured tone from her now, something a bit beyond thirteen years old and the rabbit girl in front of him.

"These are strange feelings I'm having. I've been having them a lot lately. They've been...getting more intense. I haven't talked to anyone about it."

"Not even Amy?"

"Not even her."

"Might be too heavy for me to lift," Sonic said cautiously.

"It has to be you this time. I have this feeling that you'll be the one to understand. The one to truly help me."

He nodded. "Shoot, then."

She looked away before staring back at Sonic, hands in her lap. "There's someone I've been...becoming attached to. Someone who I've admired, who I've idolized for so long. He means a lot to me. He's simply...older. A man now."

"You're worried he might end up...well, takin' your heart and stuff?"

"He already has. I simply don't know what it is I truly want. What I would ask for if I spoke to him. It is...a slow, steady beat. My heart starts to jump and flutter near him. When I was a little girl...I knew him then, as well. I didn't have these feelings. Only as I grew older, found myself thinking of him more. I wondered why. I still wonder why."

"..."

"I can't stand to pain him. To have rumours started about him. But I...simply have to know what these feelings mean."

"Maybe talking to him would work it out?" Sonic asked.

"Perhaps. But...it's a hard subject to breach. Wouldn't you say?"

Sonic sighed and took a deep breath. "It would be, yeah. If this guy's a full grown man as you said...well, you're still practically a kid, you know. Even as mature as you are..."

"It sounds like something he would say. It's...soothing to hear," she said quietly. Cream smiled and her fingers pressed themselves into the fabric of her sweater. Sonic heard the clicking in his head and ignored it for the time being. Yes, he knew.

Her eyes met his again and she nodded before taking another sip of tea.

"I got no clue how to solve this right now, but...I'll give it a shot. Whatever it takes," Sonic answered.

"Thank you. I know we'll be able to make this work, together."

"Of course we will."

"Thank you for the tea, Mister Sonic. It was delicious."

"No worries...leaving already?"

"I should. It wouldn't do to stay out too late...or stir myself up anymore than needed."

He mentally stepped back as she looked at him, a smile coming to her lips. Cream put on her things and slipped into her boots, Sonic escorting her to the elevator and downstairs.

"Cream, you take care. And we'll set up another date like this whenever you want."

"Is next week fine?"

"Sure. I'll be around all winter. Just call in, and I'll make sure to stay put for the day."

"I understand. Thank you for this, Mister Sonic. I really appreciate it...more than I can express. Please take care of yourself."

"I will."

She smiled and let her eyes connect with his for a few extra moments before turning away.

As soon as she left, Sonic exhaled loudly and put a hand to his forehead.

"You gotta be kidding me...she's for real. What did I walk myself into?"

He groaned and shook his head.

"She really ain't a kid anymore, that's for darn sure. I gotta figure out what I can do. And I gotta do it before she does it for me. I mean, she doesn't really...she couldn't be thinking that...maybe she does. Ah..."

He jogged easily up to his apartment and unlocked the door, then shuffled off his sneakers and flopped onto the couch listlessly.

There was a lot of thinking to be done.


	2. Definition

a/n: What once was.

* * *

 **Weave**

2\. Definition

* * *

"Thank you as always."

"You're very welcome, Cream. Pleasure having you back, just like the last time."

She smiled at him from across the wooden table and sipped at her tea. He had gotten it down to just the way she liked it within three visits. It was comforting, and made her warm even before the tea reached her stomach. Sonic had relaxed himself a bit and started using a mug; it felt better around his hand, he thought. He still placed a saucer under it to keep up some of the table's aesthetic.

"I...more than understand I've built up an image of myself," she said. "So what I'm going to say next will disort it forever."

"This stuff is never clean, y'know. Whatever you've got to say, it's fine. I promised we'd work through it all together."

"It might make you uncomfortable," she said knowingly.

"Can't be anything too bad."

"That much is always said before the news is delivered."

Inwardly, Sonic was frightened at what was coming, but he kept it to a light nod and let her continue. Cream set down her teacup and placed her hands in her lap. She raised her head to look at her host, a look in her eyes that said she was unsure of how to speak next.

"Imagine, if you would...that I was in denial of what I wanted all along."

"Denial?" Sonic repeated.

"Yes. That I knew, that I fully understood what it was I wanted, but desperately tried to make it out as something else entirely. Something...wholesome."

"Instead of the alternative," he continued.

"Yes. That's it entirely. Maybe what I wanted taken away more than my heart was my decency."

"That's...pretty heavy, honestly."

"It might be. But it also might be what I've been asking for all this time, without knowing or understanding it. I am growing...I'm becoming an adult."

"You've still got a lot of time to keep growing. Adulthood isn't some arbitrary number, no matter what the feds'll tell you." He chuckled and sipped from his mug.

She gave him a pointed glare. "Is it that you're trying to steer me, Mister Sonic?"

Sonic threw out a shrug in response. "Maybe, at least on a deeper level. I'm not-"

"Trying to tell me what to feel. But it feels like it. Even if you mean well, it feels like you're trying, very subtly, to say that what I'm feeling isn't what I'm feeling, that it's more than likely wrong. That we should go back to entertaining those wholesome thoughts and feelings I had when we started."

He sighed and rubbed the back of his head. Sometimes she was razor sharp. "Maybe. I mean...even if I did agree, it'd be trouble for you and an older guy like that."

"Because I'm small? Innocent? Vulnerable, you think?"

"Part of it."

"Wouldn't something like that be easily taken care of?" she said forcefully. He shifted in his chair and let out a breath, giving her a look that didn't go unnoticed. "There are many things I'm privy to. Many things," Cream repeated before sipping at her tea again.

Sonic leaned forward and drummed his fingers on the table, trying to calm the rumbling in his head.

"You're probably moving a little fast." He knew the next shot she was going to take.

"What do you think he would feel about it?" she asked, confirming his thoughts.

He smirked and her attack slowed, confusion furrowing her brow.

"What makes you think I could speak for him? I don't think it'd be right."

"Surely, you could imagine for a moment..."

"That wouldn't be fair to either of us, little lady. Not you...and not the guy you're thinking of either."

Her shoulders slumped a bit and she closed her eyes.

"I see. I'm sorry for trying to force something like that."

"Nothin' to apologize for. Like I said, Cream...let it all out, however you have to. I'm here for you, no matter what."

"Thank you."

"Words to chew on, though...sometimes we end up giving our own fears form. Right?"

"..." She had another curious look on her face.

"We see possibilities...we get a little frightened by them. So we just launch headlong into one or the other, figuring that's the only way to solve 'em. As I said before, you're still young. You got your whole life ahead of you. Bein' a woman...it's about way more than feelings. Way more than your life partitioned into body, mind and soul. Yeah? Give it a good kick around upstairs, and you'll see a few things differently."

"I...I'll try that. You saw right through it...I was scared. I was afraid that I was..." She struggled to speak. "That I was...m-maybe..."

"Cream...come around here, hon. I got ya."

She slid down from her chair and met Sonic in the middle, feeling his warmth as he hugged her. Her head rested against his as she quietly shed tears.

"It's scary. I know it is. But you're never alone."

"...thank you...thank you..."

"Always a pleasure, Cream."

He smiled a melancholy smile, patting her head gently.


	3. Wax Majestic

a/n: What really was.

* * *

 **Weave**

3\. Wax Majestic

* * *

He leaned back into his couch, sitting with his hands folded. The television was off, and so was the radio he liked to listen to. The apartment was quiet, as it usually was around this time without Cream visiting.

Sonic had taken a lot of time out to think. He was feeling trapped, and while it wasn't a totally unfamiliar feeling, it was a bit stressful if anything. Talking to Cream made him realize how out of his depth he must have been, at least to her; she could see through him any time she wanted if she simply focused a little. So why was it that she was coming to him for advice? Why even consider it in the first place?

He understood that she was searching for a lot of things in him, things that would end up frightening her, as some already had. She wasn't ready to be "a woman", but in her many thoughts she considered an early trip there to be a very close possibility. The look in her eyes when she left two weeks prior made her seem like she was defeated, as if she couldn't take any more now that she had seen the edge of her desire. It was still heavy on her mind, even if she refused to say so. The week after was filled with superficial banter; she was weighed down on the inside. She didn't want to breach that subject again, as much as she wanted to. So unsure of what everything she once thought was real meant now.

That fluid, yet cold projection of love.

He wasn't sure of what to do. As much as she trusted him, that door between them was slowly closing. She had frightened herself more than she realized.

A knock on the door brought the blue hedgehog out of his thoughts. His ears perked up and he heard a distinctive shuffling and clicking of shoes against the ground outside. Going through the possibilities, he jumped up and adjusted his scarf before opening the door.

The visitor had on a fluffy pink jacket, silk scarf, and designer sunglasses over their face.

"Oi. It's a little flashy for winter, eh?"

"You know I can't afford to skimp on style."

"Heh. Point made. Come on in, toots."

She unwrapped her scarf and shed her jacket, handing them both to her host. Her feet in bright red heels were presented to him next, and he undid her straps like he had a thousand times before. She removed her glasses and held them in one hand as he turned up the lights, following her to the kitchen.

"I recognize that lovely smell," she said with a sniff of the air.

"Oh, yeah. Made today my practice day for scones, kept 'em warm for a bit. I wanted Cream to try 'em."

"May I have some?"

"Yeah, no worries. Small batch, so it's all yours."

"Thank you! I'm looking forward to it." He seated her politely, and she tousled her already wild pink hair once before letting it settle, setting her glasses down in the middle of the table. Her outfit was simple for her visit; frilly blouse and long skirt, both red and silk, met in the middle by two stylish white leather belts around her waist.

"You wore that for the paper a few months ago, didn't ya? Oh, I got Earl Grey whipped up, did ya want something else?"

"I did, you remembered! Oh, and that's perfectly fine."

"Really, eh?"

"What?"

"Nothin'. You've just been sorta...low maintenance lately, Amy. No offense."

"It's...I don't want to be a diva. Not all the time, anyways. Y'know?" she said with a smile. "I figure I shouldn't cause you too much trouble...after all, you're my favourite guy."

"I know. Hey, I...I'm sorry about the whole-"

"Fat joke?" She winked at him, green eyes sparkling. "Water under the bridge. I can't hold a grudge against you, anyways."

"Good to know," he said with a chuckle. "I didn't mean anythin' by it, and besides...you've been looking nicer, filling out and all. I mean it."

"Thanks. That makes me feel pretty great, hehe."

He set down her tea in front of her, on the better china he had stashed away. "Milk, sugar?"

"The usual. You remember, right?"

"Milk over cream...splash of honey," he recited as he mixed. "Nice 'n light. I'll get your scones out the oven, should still be nice an' toasty."

She smiled and clasped her hands together. "Goodie. I love it when they're fresh."

Sonic carefully plated a few of the scones and took them to Amy. Asking for an extra moment, he returned again with a small knife and some butter on a plate.

"It's definitely different, all of this," she remarked. "You've been doing a really good job, you know?"

"I try. I owe you for all of it."

"You don't owe me much. I just planted the idea way back when." Amy buttered a scone and took a bite out of it before setting it down. Her eyes closed and her hands went to her cheeks. "These are like, amazing...even more amazing than I remembered. Geez, you're too good at this sort of thing!"

"Practice makes perfecto, si? Been working on it."

"That's some work," she said as she finished off the scone. "Mmm. These shouldn't be too bad if I reheat them?"

"Not at all, you can take 'em all home."

"I totally will!" She sipped at her tea next and nodded with satisfaction. "Great...that's really the stuff."

"So, not to harsh your mood or anything..."

"Right, I did stop by unannounced. Though...I did notice you didn't have anything on in the background," Amy said as she set down her cup. "Not like you. Something happening with you and Cream?"

"A little. I'm just stumped on how we're gonna move forward," he said as he sat down across from her. "We were doing okay up until a couple of weeks ago. She tell you anything about it?"

"Not a peep. It really is between the two of you."

"Yeah...figured so."

"Don't go doubting yourself, mister. Listen," she said gently, "I wouldn't have recommended you if I wasn't sure things would be alright in the end. Cream really cares about you, and I know you care about her. You wouldn't do anything to intentionally hurt each other. But hearing you say that it's been tricky...she's been hiding it well enough from me, looks like."

"She's grown up like that," Sonic said, leaning back in his chair. "Really mature for a kid."

"Sonic? I don't like using this term but...well. I think sometimes Cream is a bit too smart for her own good. It's not a bad thing most of the time, but I think she sees things too far down the road. It's something I've noticed with her as she's grown up."

"Does it worry you?" he asked.

"No, not really. It should, right? But she's surrounded by family, like you and me. It's good that she's getting a crash course now...and it's like a lot of social things, you're better at seeing what needs fixing in others before you notice it about yourself. The great ones are just good at figuring out themselves faster."

"Somethin' like that."

"You'll get it. I promise you will."

"You got any idea why she didn't open up to you, Amy?"

She took another sip of tea and shook her head. "None at all. She said it had to be you, and that she couldn't talk about it. It's nothing about Tails, either...by the by, have you heard from him?"

"He called last week to check in. Said he was off on a lot of tangents and might be holed up all winter."

"Isn't that just like him..." Amy sighed. "Girlfriend in crisis and he's building junk. Why can't more men be like you, eh?"

"Ain't enough awesome to go around for all of us," Sonic said with a smile.

"That's too bad. Though having only one you makes it easier for me."

"Heh." Sonic rubbed his nose. "Actually, I was wondering if your schedule wasn't too tight for these kinds of visits."

"My heart told me to come and see you, so I had my agent help me blow off a small-time modeling gig. They'll reschedule," she said smugly. "I'm Amy Rose, after all."

"Man. You're killin' 'em out there. Gonna take up that pro tennis gig they were talking about?"

"Without a doubt. Just want another year or two to stoke the suspense, put out that sports line so that I have a bunch of things to look even cuter in, and then I'll smash some balls. Not just on the court, either."

He winced playfully. "Yikes. Takin' the world by storm, no prisoners. If we're talkin' about growing up, you've done a lot of it too, Amy."

"So have you, as much as you don't want to admit it."

"Just gettin' old and grey."

"Stop that, you. You're terrible."

Sonic smiled and watched Amy sip her tea. A thought came to him as he flipped through their conversation, as light as it was.

"I know that look."

He focused on Amy again as she gave him a sunny smile.

"You've figured something out."

"...y'know, I might have..."

"So?"

"Well...me an' Cream have been moving on the same wavelength so far. We kinda get each other...and I think that's the problem. I think we're lookin' inside the same box when one of us has gotta be outside lookin' in," he said, rubbing his chin. "I gotta get ahead of the curve a little. Vanilla busy this week?"

"I can call her and say you want to pop in. You're not gonna...?"

"No, not unless Cream's said anything."

"She hasn't. All she knows is that you two have been hanging out together. She's actually happy about it, from what she's told me."

There were more dots connecting in Sonic's head. Maybe the solution was something obvious and straightforward. Talking to Vanilla would definitely help.

"Hit me up when you can, then. I think I really do need to talk with her, it might sort all of this out."

"I'll make the call by tomorrow the latest. Will it be ahead of your meeting with Cream?"

"Yeah, well ahead. I don't wanna let this drag on another week if I have to, but...I know how I'm gonna approach things either way."

Amy bit into another scone and smiled. "What'd I tell you?"

"That I had this. Amy Rose always knows, as you say."

"And don't you forget it, sweetie."

He smirked back at her. "Believe me, I don't think I will."


	4. Considerations

a/n: I can still go.

* * *

 **Weave**

4\. Considerations

* * *

"Just a moment."

Sonic nodded towards the door and waited. It wasn't as cold as they had predicted earlier, which was a nice thing. Sometimes it was alright when the weather guys got it wrong.

A small, unassuming home in the city. Immediately affordable, good access to everything needed, and in a fairly quiet neighbourhood. Vanilla hadn't ever considered city life, but Amy easily sold her on it. Some down payment assistance didn't hurt either, though of course it was flatly refused at first.

The plain, wooden door opened; the entrance to Cream and Vanilla's world. A warm, welcoming smile graced the mother's face, and she welcomed her guest in with a gentle pat on the back before closing the door. An apron with many pockets went over her long and horizontally striped dress, old fashioned and charming.

"It's so good to see you."

"Same here. I was thinkin' of poppin' in, but Amy's surprise visit helped push the date up."

"I'm glad it did."

Sonic removed his sneakers and went into the dining room, sniffing subtly at the air as he went.

"I made something for you, since I knew you were coming."

"Ya didn't have to."

"That goes without saying, but you know that I'm not that kind of woman."

"Heh. You're right." He seated himself at the table and she disappeared, back into the kitchen where she took up a ladle and stirred at the contents of her pot. A steady hand drew up generous helpings of chili, lovingly loaded up with slices of jumbo hot dogs. Vanilla took a spare hand towel and used it to hold the hot bowl, carrying it to Sonic along with a spoon. His eyes widened as she set the meal onto a table mat.

"Oi, Vanilla. This is too much, I was just comin' over to see you."

"Go ahead and eat, you know better."

"Aw, sheesh. Alright. Thanks so much."

"You're welcome, sweetie."

She floated back into the kitchen again, this time for the cup of tea she made earlier. Sonic nodded with satisfaction as he took a spoonful of chili and chewed on it.

"This is great. Thanks again, Vanilla."

"It's my pleasure. I'm glad you like it."

He took in another few spoonfuls before pausing. "I came by to see how you two were doing, after I had a chat with Amy. Gal's been something else these days, I'm loving it. On her way."

"Does that mean you're considering settling down?"

"Ha. She's outta my league by now," he said before taking in another spoon of chili. "Gonna be queen of the world soon. No use in courting an old hermit like me."

"Don't say things like that. You're handsome and she loves you like nobody else."

"C'mon. We both know she's due for better than this."

"Young man, you are not subpar." Vanilla gave him a firm look, and he relented.

"Alright, alright. I might be awesome, but I don't think it would be healthy."

"Please consider giving her a chance at least."

He sighed. "I'll think about it some. Honest."

"Good. That's all I want."

"Yes'm. Anyways, how's Cream been? I guess she's told you that we've been having weekly talks."

Vanilla sipped at her tea before answering. "She has. I wanted to thank you in person for keeping her company. She really does adore you, and I think she's come home a lot healthier each time. Cream can be precocious sometimes..."

"That's natural. She's a sharp kid, we should encourage that a little more."

"Tails did talk to me and apologize the other day, but there was no need. We all know how he is, Cream included. She still loves him."

"Yep. Nothing but good things to say about the little guy. I wish he hadn't holed himself up, but potential world peace sounds pretty exciting. His choice, I'm not gonna stop him unless he's been hurting. So far it looks like he's fine."

"I'm glad to hear that. Hm..." Vanilla held her tea in front of her for a moment, pausing in though. Sonic finished his bowl of chili in the meantime. "Did you want some more, Sonic?"

"Oh, uh...yeah. I'd like some more. Thanks Vanilla, that's really good stuff."

"I'm glad you enjoy it. Shall I give you the recipe later?"

"Nah, I'm alright. Besides, I don't think I could pull it off the way you do," he said with a chuckle.

"Well, Amy has been telling me that you've become quite the cook," she called back from the kitchen.

"That girl goes on sometimes, don't you worry. I'm nothin' special."

"I'm sure you're being entirely too modest this time, too." She set his refilled bowl in front of him. "Hm...yes, there was something I wanted to say. Something that came to mind just now."

"Yeah?"

"Something to do with you. Would it any trouble to listen a while?" she asked.

"After all we've been through, it's not even a question. Go ahead, Vanilla. I'm all ears."

"Thank you," she said with a smile. "As you might already know, I've lived as a single mother all of this time. Raising Cream has been a joy, but not without a few stumbles along the way on my end. Having both side of your parentage is something that really helps stabilize you in life. I have no intention of throwing myself a pity party, but...I always hoped I could have done better by Cream in that way."

Sonic nodded. "Growing up without a dad is tough. Especially as a guy. Tails went through it some, and as for me...my memories have always been a bit fuzzy. Bootstraps and all isn't a solution for any of us here. I'm one of a kind and all, not to brag about it."

"You've been a wonderful role model to Tails," she said. "He's grown in confidence each and every day, and he's also very principled. I don't think any of that would happen without you, Sonic."

"Heh." He rubbed at the back of his head. "Honestly? Dunno how I pulled it off myself, but I tried my hardest to be there. That's all it was, really."

"You've done an incredible job. You see? That's why you'd make a great father one day."

Sonic coughed a bit but kept down his chili as he swallowed. "Kids are...a little early in the game for me, Vanilla. Come on, don't make my heart give out so soon. At least let my quills get grey first."

"Stop it, you." She hit him gently with a cloth. "I didn't think you would get to joking about your age so quickly, but here you are. If you're going senile in your youth, then what does that say about me?"

"That you're timeless, obviously."

"Hmph. Nice try."

"Worth a shot." He swallowed another spoonful of chili while thinking.

It was then that something clicked in.

"You were talking about it being hard raising Cream without a dad and all, right?"

"Yes," Vanilla replied.

"Hm. And all the guys in our little in-group..."

"It's...hm. It's different with everyone else. I know that Cream looks up to you a lot, Sonic. She cares for you as much as you care for her, and perhaps she does see you as a father figure of sorts. Tails is still learning himself, and the other men around her...not to say there's anything wrong with them per se, but there's a certain distance between them and her."

He nodded as he continued to eat, still thinking, still turning the issue around in his head.

 _She trusts you, obviously. So what's behind it, then? What would make her so timid and afraid? Surely it has to be more than the scandal. Isn't she looking for something?_

Amy's voice was guiding him. She knew something, or at least that 'her' did. But...could he make sense of it?

He looked over at Vanilla, who tilted her head slightly and gave him a warm smile. She really did feel like his mom a lot of the time, with the way she looked after him and everyone else. Warm and kind and understanding. If he had...

...

"Vanilla?"

"Yes, dear."

Sonic finished his chili and sighed. "Thanks. I mean, besides the great chili and all. You've reminded me of a whole lot. I do need to be more responsible, with my relationships and all. More than just Amy...I've kinda been running away from things for a while, and maybe I've lost sight of what was important in the end. I think it'd be great to try and fix that now."

"I see."

"'Sides, Cream would be helped out a lot by it too. I know that for sure now."

"Please don't be too hard on yourself, Sonic." Vanilla rose from her seat and went over to Sonic, leaning over so she could hug him tightly. "You're a wonderful adult. We all have room left to grow."

"Yeah. Thanks."

"Thank you for looking after Cream. I really appreciate it...and I'm happy that she has a good man in her life to learn from."

After another bowl of chili, Vanilla sent Sonic off with a large plastic bowl filled with the leftovers. She insisted that she could part with the container and its contents, and Sonic decided not to protest. She smothered him with a hug and let him go on his way, waving like an old-fashioned mother would when sending her kids off to school.

"Heh. Adults, huh..."

He looked up to the sky, letting out a foggy breath in the cold winter air.

"Cream...I know what's eating at you for real now. Figured it all out. Now the hard part's pitching it to you."

That familiar grin spread onto his face.

"Typical of you brainiacs, eh? Thinking so far ahead you trip on the steps in front of you. Good thing my brain's a little slower than my feet! Ah, Vanilla would kill me if she heard that..."

He made to the front of his apartment before seeing a familiar form. A not-so-wintery fedora paired with a poncho and scarf.

"Oi...that you, Red?"

"Yeah. Tails told me you would be here," Knuckles said as he tilted his hat upwards. "Guess I had good timing."

"The best, even. Vanilla sent me home with chili. It's still hot, so let's get you some."

"Fine by me. Anyways, Eggman's been too quiet."

"Yeah, I'll say. Well, the boy genius is working on a few things for the endgame, as I'm sure you noticed..."

The two friends chatted as they made their way inside.


	5. Reverberation

a/n: Like never before.

* * *

 **Weave**

05\. Reverberation

* * *

"I'm home."

"Good evening, Cream."

"Good evening, Mama."

A cool winter evening, one sleep away from her next meeting with Sonic. Cream worried on the inside about what would or could happen. She took off her boots, then jacket and scarf before carrying her bag past the front of the house. Vanilla left the kitchen and hugged her daughter tightly.

"Are you well today?"

"I'm well, Mama. Thank you for asking. How has your day been?"

"Satisfying and productive. I finished that cake for Miss Rouge right on schedule, and she came to pick it up an hour ago. I know that Shadow will love it."

"A cake for Mister Shadow?"

"Well, she didn't say it out loud, but..." Vanilla smiled. "She didn't need to."

Cream giggled. "You can be trouble sometimes, Mama."

"As you get older, you find ways to keep yourself busy. I've made some tea."

"What kind?"

"Today's is Earl Grey."

"I would like some, Mama. Is it too much to ask you to bring it to my room?"

"Not at all, my love. I'll mix it the way you like and bring it up shortly. Snacks to go with it?"

"No thank you, Mama. I'll be going up, then. Mister Knuckles asked me to help him with something. An array of sorts."

"Oh? Good for him, it seems like he's considering outsourcing surveillance of that emerald. Hmm..." Vanilla placed a hand on her cheek. "I did offer to watch it for him, but he declined. If he thinks I'm too delicate, it's a mistake on his part..."

Cream smiled and left her mother with her thoughts. She went up to her room, set her bag near her desk and turned on her personal computer. Tails, bless him, had custom built it, set it up for regular updates, and came by every so often to have a look at the hardware. There was also a slightly less powerful laptop that Cream carried around from time to time. But only slightly less powerful, she noted.

Speaking of the boy in question, she decided to give him a call while she worked. She set her phone down on the desk after tapping his portrait in her contacts, set it to speaker, and waited as her computer booted up.

"Heya, Cream!"

"Hello, my love. I hope I'm not interrupting you."

"I've always got time for you. Well, I mean...in a few ways, more than others."

"Tails, don't worry about it. I know you're working hard to stop the Doctor, so please continue at your own pace. We'll have all the time in the world to ourselves when this is over."

"Yeah. Doesn't stop me from feeling bad, though. And I might get sucked into more projects anyways. Couple of big name companies are trying to lure me in with piles of cash and incentives. I might take two or three up on their offers. Even then, Sonic wants to start a company, and I might do that instead."

Cream clicked on a program before pausing a moment. "Oh? I didn't hear about that..." But then, she had been so distracted lately...the conversations in their quiet time together had started to slip through her mind. Not what she wanted, or what she envisioned when everything began. She felt awful, and he must have felt so much worse, knowing that he couldn't help when she was keeping her distance.

"We'd be taking on a couple of different things. He wants the core of it to be simple, though. A delivery service. Single items to start. We'd want to empower local communities and business owners, too. He's not the biggest fan of capitalism, though."

"He's said as much, yes. Shadow would be a part owner as well, to give advice?"

"Yep. By the way, how have things been with you two? I heard you've been spending a lot of time together."

"Very well," she said as her fingers pressed lightly against her keyboard. "He's been very kind and hospitable to me, as always. I'm really enjoying our talks."

"That's great! I'm really happy to see you guys getting closer. For a lot of reasons, obviously."

A light knocking interrupted them. "A moment, please? Mama brought me tea."

"Sure, go for it."

"Thank you." Cream left her seat and opened the door. "Thank you so much, Mama."

"You're welcome, dear. Is that Tails on the phone?"

"It is. He's doing well and working hard," Cream said. The sound of metal and tools came through the phone, making the two rabbits smile. "As you can probably tell."

"Of course. Give our darling my greetings."

"I will, Mama. Thank you again."

"I'll be watching my dramas before dinner. Come down when you're ready."

"Yes, Mama." They shared a hug before Cream closed her door, heading back to the computer with a warm cup of tea. As she took a sip, she thought of the only two people in the world who could make tea feel so warm and refreshing. "I've returned, my love."

"Gimme a sec, and...okay! Back to this quieter thing. Welcome back, Cream."

"Thank you. Mama sends her greetings."

"Awesome, I appreciate that. I hope Miss Vanilla is doing well, too."

"Quite well, and she's been keeping herself very active," Cream said with a smile. "So, you were speaking of something earlier?"

"Ah, yeah. I was saying that I was happy that you and Sonic were hanging out more. You're like, my two favourite people in the world and all, so that makes sense, right? Uh...hrm. It's so hard to explain properly. It just feels like it makes sense."

Cream thought about telling him. She worried that he would be hurt, hearing what she truly had to say, what she felt. The things that ran through her mind. But there was something to what he said. She just couldn't put a finger on it precisely.

"Familiar?" she asked.

"Familial, maybe."

All she knew was that she had feelings towards Sonic, and those feelings...weren't right. It's why she never told Tails the truth. But if she was wrong, what would the right answer be? What else could make sense?

What did she _want_ from him?

It was sad, but she knew. And she loved them both, Sonic and Tails. But...

"Maybe you're right. There might be something to it."

"You sound a bit uncertain about something," he said. "I hope things are okay."

"They are, for the most part. I have something that I would like to try and solve on my own, for now."

"I understand. I also know that you'll make it through, like you always do."

"I love you so much. I want you to know that, no matter what happens. I'm happy that you let me into your life, I'm even happier to be part of it. Moments like this make me realize how lucky I am."

"Heh. That's totally my line. Especially after being so far away from you all the time. I really love you, Cream. Things will be okay, I promise. I believe in you."

"Thank you, Tails."

"Thank you, Cream."

"I'll leave you to your work."

"It's no trouble-"

"You always say that, but I know you want to work hard right now. Do your best, and think of me," she said with a smile. "Good luck, my love."

"Right. Until next time, Cream."

"Until the next." She hung up and shut off her phone's screen. After sipping from her tea cup, she set the saucer to one side and went back to her typing.

 _It's because I love you...I won't let this drag on any longer. I have to face it. I have to face this obstacle._

 _I have to face myself._

She would know what she needed to do in order to move ahead, once she got to that last fork in the road. What she knew, what she felt...

Even if it meant hurting the one she loved for a moment, she had to bring everything out into the light. To set herself, and everyone she loved free. She had learned that lesson in courage from someone special. Someone precious to her.

"Forgive me for taking this long, Mister Sonic. I feel like I'm ready now. I'll decide what our future together should be like..."

 _Even if it means the end of me._


End file.
